Aside from the three-year community corrections sentence, Helton was ordered by Judge John Dugger to pay $1,363 in fines, and restitution for the victim was reserved.

On the evening of Nov. 19, Hawkins County Sheriff’s Office Detective Reba Matthews responded to Helton's home, where she located the victim lying in the road unconscious.

Witnesses stated that the couple had been arguing that day over Helton’s alleged drug activity, his quitting his job that day and the presence of one of his friends whom she considered unwelcome.

Witnesses also stated that the victim attempted to get Helton to let her take the unwelcome friend home because Helton’s driver’s license was expired and she didn’t want him to be arrested.

“(According to witnesses) she asked him not to take her vehicle, but he refused to listen to reason,” Matthews stated in her report. “The argument escalated and he sped off, hitting her with the car and knocking her unconscious.”

The woman was transported by Hawkins County EMS to Holston Valley Medical Center, where she was reportedly listed as suffering an enlarged liver and spleen.

Helton was arrested on Nov. 21 and had been in the Hawkins County Jail on $20,000 bond prior to his appearance in Criminal Court on Friday.

Following his guilty plea, Helton was released from jail.

Other guilty pleas heard by Dugger Friday included:

* Robert Cody Hodge, 22, who was sentenced to one year at 30 percent and ordered to pay $1,988 in fines and fees for three counts of criminal simulation.

* Marvin Ricky Hurst, 60, 317 Cannon St., Kingsport, who was sentenced to 60 days in jail, 11 months and 29 days on probation, and $7,824 in restitution to Walmart for four counts of misdemeanor theft that were reduced from Class E felonies.

* William Phillip Pooley, 48, no address available, who was sentenced to 11 months and 29 days on probation and ordered to pay $2,145 in fines and fees for simple possession of marijuana, possession of drug paraphernalia and seatbelt violation.

* Montana Jack Kincer, 22, no address available, who was sentenced to one year on supervised probation and ordered to pay $3,057 in restitution for theft over $1,000 and vandalism over $1,000.